At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team to conduct innovative plant transformation and tissue culture research.
- Company: Ellison Institute of Technology, a leader in transformative scientific research.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, enhanced holiday, private medical insurance, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with state-of-the-art facilities and excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on global food production and planetary health through cutting-edge plant science.
- Qualifications: Master's or Bachelor's degree with hands-on expertise in plant tissue culture.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
EIT At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we translate scientific discovery into real‐world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity's greatest challenges in four transformative areas:
- Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
- Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
- Artificial Intelligence & Robotics
Welcome to the Plant Biology Institute. The Plant Biology Institute, headed by Professor Steve Kelly, is a key part of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford. It aims to develop impactful and commercially sustainable solutions for improving global food production and planetary health through pioneering plant science research.
Our research focuses on enhancing the ability to feed the planet while simultaneously improving climate and ecosystem outcomes of food production, speeding up discovery and deployment in plants, and reducing reliance on inputs such as water, fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides.
- Improved plant productivity, both indoors and outside
- Reduced reliance on inputs including water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides
- Novel decarbonised plant‐based production platforms for food and medicines
- Advanced technologies that speed up discovery and deployment in plants
Your Role: We seek a highly motivated and skilled Research Associate in the Crop Transformation Pipeline team at our Plant Biology Institute. The Research Associate will support high‐throughput transformation execution, ensuring consistent delivery of edited or transgenic plants across target crops. Focus is on throughput, reproducibility, and industrial‐grade delivery of high‐quality transgenic and gene‐edited events.
Your Responsibilities:
- Conduct transformation, tissue culture, regeneration, and plant recovery workflows
- Maintain culture health, media preparation, and sterile technique standards
- Track experiments using LIMS and digital systems
- Assist in optimisation trials and troubleshoot experiments
- Support scaling initiatives and throughput acceleration
- Maintain detailed lab documentation and inventory
- Train and mentor Technicians
- Standardise SOPs and ensure rigorous documentation following GLP & QMS
- Collaborate with cross‐functional teams to incorporate cutting‐edge applied technologies to develop commercial products
- Present scientific work at seminars within the team and at external meetings, contributing to laboratory‐wide discussions
- Assist in training and mentoring technicians in transformation and tissue culture skill sets
- Collaborate with experts across the EIT ecosystem on AI, automation, and generative biology
- Assist in translating scientific results into publications, commercial opportunities, and IP protection in line with EIT's mission
Requirements:
Essential Skills, Qualifications & Experience:
- Master's or Bachelor's degree with substantial hands‐on expertise in plant tissue culture and transformation
- Experience with structured experimental planning, tracking, monitoring and reporting
- Proven troubleshooting and optimisation skills in tissue culture
- Ability to build both internal and external relationships, working collaboratively beyond one discipline
- Clear and demonstrable problem‐solving, communication and collaboration skills
- Excellent written communication and report writing ability
Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Experience in multiple crop transformation
- Experience with GLP & Quality management system
- Experience in DOE and statistical analysis
Benefits:
Our Benefits:
- Salary dependent on experience + travel allowance + bonus
- Enhanced holiday + options to buy additional days
- Pension
- Life Assurance
- Income Protection
- Private Medical Insurance
- Hospital Cash Plan
- Therapy Services
- Perk Box
- Electric Car Scheme
- Childcare benefit
What we offer:
- Newly constructed, state‐of‐the‐art laboratories and growth facilities
- A collaborative research environment with a highly skilled team working at the cutting edge of plant science to create commercially sustainable solutions
- Opportunities for professional development including publication, conferences, spin‐out generation, and leadership development
Research Associate, Transformation Facility - Plant Biology Institute in Oxford employer: Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford
At the Ellison Institute of Technology's Plant Biology Institute in Oxford, we are dedicated to translating scientific discoveries into impactful solutions for global food production and planetary health. Our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and professional growth, offering state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities for mentorship, publication, and leadership development, making it an exceptional place for passionate researchers to thrive.
Contact Details:
Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Associate, Transformation Facility - Plant Biology Institute in Oxford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend seminars, and connect with researchers at the Plant Biology Institute. You never know who might have a lead on your dream job!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or presentation that highlights your hands-on expertise in plant tissue culture and transformation. This will help you stand out during interviews and discussions.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the goals of the Plant Biology Institute. Tailor your message to show how you can contribute to their mission of improving global food production.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the EIT community.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Associate, Transformation Facility - Plant Biology Institute in Oxford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Research Associate role. Highlight your hands-on experience in plant tissue culture and transformation, as well as any relevant skills that match the job description. We want to see how your background aligns with our mission at the Plant Biology Institute!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about plant science and how you can contribute to our goals. Be sure to mention specific projects or experiences that demonstrate your problem-solving and collaboration skills. We love a good story!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since excellent written communication is key for this role, make sure your application materials are clear and concise. Use proper formatting and check for any typos or grammatical errors. We appreciate attention to detail, so let your writing reflect that!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our team. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford
✨Know Your Science
Make sure you brush up on the latest advancements in plant biology and transformation techniques. Familiarise yourself with the specific methodologies mentioned in the job description, like tissue culture and regeneration workflows. This will show your genuine interest and expertise in the field.
✨Prepare for Problem-Solving Questions
Expect to be asked about troubleshooting and optimisation scenarios. Think of specific examples from your past experiences where you successfully solved problems in a lab setting. Be ready to discuss your thought process and how you approached those challenges.
✨Showcase Collaboration Skills
Since the role involves working with cross-functional teams, prepare to discuss your experience in collaborative projects. Highlight instances where you built relationships across disciplines and contributed to team success. This will demonstrate your ability to work well within their innovative environment.
✨Communicate Clearly
Strong communication skills are essential, especially when presenting scientific work. Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms, as you might need to do this during the interview. Also, prepare to discuss your report writing experience, as clear documentation is crucial in research.
